


Return

by grantdanvers



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Flashbacks, Original Characters - Freeform, Other relationships - Freeform, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-01 21:09:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8638141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grantdanvers/pseuds/grantdanvers
Summary: Maggie has left National City for Gotham after she receives an offer she can't refuse. It's been three years since her departure, and Alex has since moved on.Multi-POV fic, multiple locations, flashbacks, etc. Rating may change to M or E in the future.





	1. Chapter 1

Alex starts her morning like she has every morning for two years. She spends too much time pulling her pillow into her chest, burrowing her head into it for as many extra seconds she can spare, followed by a deep stretch of her tense muscles, sore from her previous day of chasing ill-intentioned aliens around National City. Once she finally decides it’s time to escape the comfort of her queen-sized bed, she first turns to the body lying next to her, pressing a quick kiss to the top of the red bundle of curls.

“Hey,” the redhead mumbles. She rolls over into Alex, reaching her hand into Alex’s short bob, pushing her fingers beyond Alex’s ear, tracing circles there. She pulls Alex’s head down into a slow kiss. Alex hums, perfectly content.

“I’m gonna start a pot of coffee,” Alex murmurs into the woman’s mouth. The woman nods and curls back into her pillow. Alex sits up, pulls on her pyjama bottoms, and slowly makes her way into her kitchen.

For two years, Alex had been seeing Julia. Alex was caught off guard by the redhead when they first met through a mutual friend’s birthday dinner. During dinner, the pair took turns stealing glances at one another, nurtured by the intimate setting. Alex had butterflies fluttering in her stomach all night, which only worsened when Julia offered to share a ride with her when the party left the restaurant. Alex was fortunate for Julia’s forwardness, though, as they pulled up to Alex’s building. Julia asked for the brunette’s number, and Alex had smiled, fumbled with her phone, then left the cab with a massive smile across her face. After that evening, the pair dated quietly for weeks, when finally Julia pressed Alex to be a full-fledged couple. Alex had laughed, trying to remain aloof about the fact that she never had the intention of seeing anyone else from the moment they met, and failed hopelessly. Julia had kissed her for what felt like hours after that, and since then they’d been happier than ever. 

Alex finally felt comfortable. She felt wanted — needed, even — and she wanted Julia in return. Their lives were less-than traditional, with Alex’s agency at the DEO being more demanding than ever, and Julia’s client-load ramping up in the past year. Julia had been successful in starting her own firm, and with that came long hours and late nights. Alex didn’t mind, as she had been used to a similar schedule for nearly a decade. Their lives aligned so perfectly at times, Alex couldn’t ask for much more.

Except for… well, Alex didn’t think about that anymore. Alex hadn’t thought about _that_ for nearly two years. She had pushed the sweet, caring, gorgeous woman out of her mind for good, mostly to preserve her emotional health. She had spent an entire year waiting, _hoping_ , that something would change. Then that miracles could happen. And then she met Julia.

Alex prepped the coffee maker, placing a filter into the funnel, scooping the pre-ground coffee from its bag into the maker, and filling the small container with water. Soon, the deep aroma of a fresh brew filled her apartment. Julia padded out into the kitchen, coming up behind Alex, and wrapping her arms around the brunette’s waist.

“You working today, Al?”

“Yeah, I’m going in a bit later than usual, though.”

Julia rests her head on Alex’s shoulder, watching Alex pour coffee into two mugs, stirring in sugar for both, plus cream for Julia. Alex picks up the mugs and turns in Julia’s arms, handing the redhead her cup. 

“Thanks.” Julia takes a sip of her coffee, but holds Alex’s gaze.

Alex smiles, and takes a gulp from her own mug. She leans against the counter behind her, watching Julia watch her.

“I’ve gotta get ready,” Julia sighs, setting her mug on the counter behind Alex. Alex breathes in Julia’s scent as she leans over Alex, hair brushing against Alex’s cheek. Alex leans in slightly, and as Julia moves back, she kisses Alex. Alex holds Julia close, a hand on the small of Julia’s back. Julia breaks the kiss, brushing the hair out of Alex’s face, and retreats back into the bedroom.

Each of them move from the bathroom to the bedroom, commencing their morning routine, with Julia urgently pulling herself together.

“I’ve got a court date today, babe. I shouldn’t be home too late, but don’t wait up.”

Alex nods. She sits on the end of her bed, watching her girlfriend slip into a pair of black heels and apply a thin coat of lipstick to her lips. Her red hair is pulled into a neat up-do, a few curls escaping to frame her face. Julia turns and places a quick peck on Alex’s lips, grabs her briefcase from the corner chair, and exits the apartment.

An hour later, Alex ties up her boots and tucks her motorcycle helmet under her arm from its spot beside the apartment door. Her phone buzzes in her pocket. It’s J’onn.

_Be here in 10. Got a tip this morning._

Alex locks up and hurries down the building’s three storeys and into the parkade. She pulls on her bike helmet, straddles her bike, and revs the engine. _Hope it’s a good one today,_ she thinks. _Need to keep busy._

Alex had been pushing every possible thought of the significance of the day out of her mind. Two years with Julia also meant three years since… since she had been left alone. Since she had had her heartbroken once again. Since she felt like she would never find another person that understood her, that cared for her, the way Maggie Sawyer did.

Three years ago, Maggie had left National City to pursue an ongoing investigation in Gotham. The Deputy Commissioner had recommended her to the sister precinct, and Maggie had had no reason to remain in National City. She had no ties, no family, no girlfriend keeping her there. So she left, on a mission unknown to Alex, in the roughest city in the country. Three months later, Maggie had been declared dead by the NCPD.

Alex had spent the better part of the year switching between mourning, loss, and a broken heart. She would take rejection a million times over to prevent the gut-wrenching feeling of loss again. She struggled to keep her head above water, to keep herself from sinking into a spiral of depression and loneliness. Kara had spent endless nights in Alex’s bed, stroking her hair as she cried herself to sleep. Four months after the announcement, Alex finally returned to work, returned to her normal routine, returned to her friends and family. Then, a couple months later, she met Julia. Julia was easy, fun, and reminded Alex of what it was like to love again. She promised herself that she could no longer think of Maggie, that it was energy she couldn’t expend any longer, and she was moving on.

Until today. The three-year anniversary of Maggie’s departure from National City. The last time Alex saw Maggie, breathing and beautiful as ever.

 _No._ Alex squeezes her eyes shut briefly, trying to concentrate on the road. _Three years is long enough. No more._

Alex arrives at the DEO within eight minutes of leaving her building, flipping the kickstand down from her bike and removing her helmet. She jogs inside, showing her badge and ID to the security officers on the way in. She searches for J’onn, and spots him pacing in his office,  through the glass walls. He notices her and gestures for her to come upstairs.

“Hey, what you got?” Alex asks once she’s inside as she shuts the door behind her.

“We don’t know definitively yet, but the tip was a sighting of a Valeronian, apparently with a firearm. We’ll be sending you and a team down to the site soon.”

“Perfect.” Alex rolls her eyes. _Maybe I shouldn’t have asked for a busy day._

“You should check in with Kara before you get suited up,” J’onn says. “She’ll be sitting this one out, but she knows about Valeronians better than any of us.” 

Alex nods and turns to leave.

“Hey,” J’onn stops her.

Alex looks back, hand on her hip.

“Are you doing okay?” J’onn asks. “You know, because, if you need the day —”

“I’m fine,” Alex states, looking intently at J’onn. “I’m more than okay, I promise.”

J’onn nods, dropping the subject. He sits down behind his desk, watching Alex leave.

— —

Alex walks into the training room and sees Kara wrestling with a robotic dummy the DEO had crafted for her. After losing the Kryptonite room, J’onn had proposed this as the next best thing to keep Kara in shape without harming any other agents. The dummy was able to keep up with Kara’s speed and strength using programming Winn had coded, in addition to a resilient outer coating of intertron to hold up against Kara’s forceful blows. Kara had managed to keep it in decent shape for a while, up until last week when she accidentally beamed one of the arms off with her heat vision.

“Hey, Alex, glad you’re here!” Kara grinned wide at her sister, throwing the dummy onto the floor and wiping some sweat from her forehead.

“You know about the Valeronian sighting?” Alex asks, wasting no time with her younger sister.

“Yeah,” Kara nods. “I have to get back to Catco, so I figured that I’d give you a couple pointers before you go.”

Alex waits for her sister to continue, watching the Kryptonian wrap a towel around the back of her neck and sit down on a bench against the wall.

“The last time we dealt with one was back when I first started doing the Supergirl thing, remember? Vartox practically killed me that day.”

Alex nods, impatiently tapping her foot on the ground.

“You should be more than fine if you wear your Kryptonite suit. The Valeronians always try to go for the strongest one of the pack, so lure him in with your suit and let another agent stun him while he’s distracted. Do you have a good team going with you?”

“Yeah, J’onn has five other agents suiting up right now. Vasquez is coming, too.”

“Good. If you need help with him, don’t hesitate to ask. But I have faith in you, big sis.”

Alex smiles at Kara. Her sister never fails to make her feel like she’s an even bigger hero than herself, always letting her know she’s more than capable of defeating all the aliens herself if she wanted to. Alex prefers to let Kara do all the heavy lifting, but in this case she doesn’t have much of a choice.

“If I’m caught between a Valeronian and a hard place, you’ll be the first to know.”

Kara laughs and pats her sister on the shoulder, grinning ear to ear.

“Try to enjoy yourself! It’s not every day you get to take down a Valeronian!”

With that, Alex gives Kara a quick hug and exits the training room. She makes her way down to the equipment room and straps herself into her Krypton suit. It’s been almost six months since she’s had a reason to use it, but in this case, it won’t even be used in all it’s glory. _Such a shame_ , Alex thinks. _Although, I’m glad we haven’t had any stray Kryptons visit Earth since Nonn and Astra_.

Alex, Vasquez, and the team pile into the DEO van and make their way down to the pier, where the Valeronian was spotted. Half way to the scene, the van receives a patch call from the DEO.

_*pfft* DEO to Agent Danvers. *pfft*_

Alex shifts up to the front of the van, grabbing the walkie from the driver’s side.

“Go ahead for Agent Danvers.”

_*pfft* Danvers, we’ve just had a report that NCPD officers have arrived on the scene. They’ve been ordered to remain outside the perimeter. Reroute the van to arrive on the north side of the scene, as to not blow cover. *pfft*_

Alex rolls her eyes. _Of course, the NCPD can never keep their noses out of DEO business_.

“Will do, rerouting now.”

The van arrives on the scene moments later, pulling up behind an empty shipping container. Alex gives a quick set of orders to her team, and proceeds to sweep the scene. Not even a minute later, Alex receives a position from a fellow agent.

 _Movement detected about fifty yards south from your location, Danvers_.

Eyes peeled, Alex draws her weapon from her back holster. Rifle in hand, she inches forward beyond her cover. In her periphery, she spots the Valeronian, crouched behind a rusted out vehicle. Pointing the rifle at the invader, she signals her support agents to circle, trapping the alien in his position.

“Hands up!” Alex shouts. “Now!”

The Valeronian startles, clearly unaware of his impending arrest. He turns, facing Alex. His face quickly shifts from a look of panic to anger, realizing his target. Suddenly, the Valeronian leaps on top of the car, towards Alex. He holds a gun similar in size to Alex’s, but coated in a sheer substance that reflects the sun onto the car.

Alex steps backwards a few paces, raising her rifle to point directly at the invader’s chest.

“Don’t move!” Alex exclaims.

The Valeronian jumps from the car, and just as quickly is thrust through the air and onto the ground. He’s hit with a stun from Vasquez’s weapon, and seizes on the ground, limbs in a frenzy. Alex breathes a sigh of relief. Clearly, Kara’s prediction was correct, in that the Valeronian would pick her out as his first and most dangerous target.

“Good work, Vasquez,” Alex says after she’s caught her breath. Vasquez nods at her, appraisal noted. Two agents handcuff the alien with intertron cuffs, lifting him to his feet and walking him towards the back of the DEO van.

_*pfft* DEO to Agent Danvers. *pfft*_

Alex pushes her earpiece in, pulling her collar up to her mouth.

“Go ahead for Danvers.”

_*pfft* Danvers, the NCPD at the scene need to be escorted out, apparently. They’re refusing to leave until they confirm with the team on the ground that the alien has been detained. *pfft*_

“Copy DEO.”

Alex removes the Kryptonite suit and stores it in the van before making her way through the maze of shipping containers to the south side of the scene where a small fleet of NCPD cars await her. Alex pulls out her identification once the unit notices her arrival. A man exits one of the vehicles and approaches her, hand hovering above his holstered weapon.

“Agent Danvers,” Alex practically spits, annoyed at the interference from the opposing unit. “The situation has been contained and the alien is in our custody.”

The man looks at her badge and ID, and waves back to his vehicle, gesturing for his partner to follow suit.

The door opens, and Alex swears she might faint right there at the scene.

Maggie Sawyer steps out of the NCPD car, bright and beautiful as ever, her dark hair wavy around her face. Her eyes are trained on Alex’s face. She pauses, hand resting on the top of the car door. She snaps the door shut, and walks towards her partner and Alex.

Alex freezes. _No,_ Alex thinks. _You're dead. You can’t be here. You can’t —_

“Danvers,” Maggie nods at her, living and breathing, standing and walking, completely, one-hundred percent alive.

Alex turns and runs, sprinting for the DEO van. She doesn’t look back, can’t stand the thought of facing the woman who is supposed to be dead. She _can’t._  

“Danvers!” She hears Maggie call her name, and Alex runs faster. “Alex!”

She reaches the van, and the doors slam shut right after she jumps in the back. The van screeches off away from the pier, back to the safety of the DEO.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Necessary flashbacks aplenty in this chapter. Shifts in POV, pretty Maggie-central, too. You'll get a better sense at how this story will play out from this point on.
> 
> And I apologize in advance for this angst-fest.

_The day had felt longer than usual, with no calls from the DEO or anonymous tips to keep the NCPD busy. Wednesdays usually had the unit in the middle of an ongoing investigation, but the team had just wrapped a case the previous day. Maggie sits at her desk, feet propped up, filling out the last of a dozen files to submit by the end of the week. She’s spent the last hour ignoring the crick in her neck and the numbness in her feet, instead breezing through the small mountain of paperwork that had been piled on her desk for the past month._

_“Sawyer, do you have a minute?”_

_Deputy Commissioner Daniels hovers between her desk and his office. He turns and enters his office, holding the door open for Maggie to follow._

Guess that wasn’t really a question, _Maggie thinks. She follows Daniels inside, exchanging her desk chair for a seat facing his own desk. He sits facing her, on the opposite side of the room, and pulls a file from his desk._

_“Sawyer, how do you feel your time at the NCPD has been so far?”_

_Maggie keeps her face from showing any kind of surprise. She had been with the NCPD for almost a year at this point, transferring in from a small neighbouring city’s police unit when she received the promotion to detective. She thought everything was going well, with all of the cases she’s helped close since her arrival._

_“It’s been going well, sir, I’d say.” Maggie nods, confirming her belief._

_“I’d agree, Sawyer,” Daniels says. “In fact, I’d say you’ve outperformed any other first-year detective I’ve worked with in a long time.”_

_Maggie exhales, relieved that her boss wasn’t about to give her a slap on the wrist or, God forbid, a demotion back to sergeant._

_“I’ve been speaking to the Commissioner in Gotham for the past month about an ongoing investigation the special crimes unit is handling. He’s been looking for someone with your kind of background to bring in to shed a new light on the case. It’s been open for almost a year, with preparation dating back almost five. The force there is having trouble nailing down any definitive evidence to support their case, and they need someone who isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty. I immediately thought of you, Sawyer.”_

_Maggie’s mind starts to race, understanding what the Deputy Commissioner is about to offer her._ Move to Gotham? Away from National City? From… her friends here?

_“If you’re interested, I can share some of the specifics of the case,” Daniels continues. “But I need confirmation of your interest to take your skills to Gotham before releasing any information. Confidentiality, you know.”_

_Maggie nods, looking down to her hands, clasped together in her lap. She can practically feel her heart thumping in her chest, unsure of what to do._

_“Can I have a bit of time to decide?” Maggie asks._

_“Of course. They want you out there by Monday morning, though, so I’ll need an answer by Friday morning to get you prepared for the transition.”_

_Friday morning. That gave her just over a day to decide._ Fuck, _Maggie thinks._

_“Why don’t you take the rest of today and tomorrow to think about it? You don’t have much going on here anyways. Go on, clear your head and I’ll see you on Friday.”_

_Daniels gestures to the door. Maggie nods, a silent appreciation, and leaves his office. She grabs her leather jacket from her chair, her phone and helmet from her desk, and speed walks out of the precinct. Her head is full of conflicting thoughts, and all she wants to do is drink herself into a stupor tonight. She reaches the parking lot, flips her kickstand up and mounts her bike, quickly pulling on her helmet. She speeds out of the lot, making her way to her regular spot, hopeful she can escape her mind for the evening._

_As soon as she arrives at the bar, her phone chimes, signalling an incoming message. It’s Alex._

Wanna meet for a round of pool tonight?

_Maggie can’t help a smile from forming on her face, pulling up to her eyes and reaching across to her cheeks. Her stomach flips, remembering this is one of those things that make her head swim with doubt and fear at the thought of transferring to the GCPD. Maggie taps out a quick reply, saying she can't tonight, but is free tomorrow if she still wants to meet up._

Sure, I’m free tomorrow. Are you okay?

_How Alex knows that Maggie is anything but okay, Maggie will never understand. They have something Maggie’s never felt before, some kind of deep-seeded connection that they’ve danced around for months. Well, that Maggie’s danced around, and Alex has seemingly put up with for too long. They work so well as friends, and Maggie has resisted risking their friendship for anything more._ It’s for the best, _Maggie tells herself every time her heart sinks at a glance that lasts too long, or a touch of their hands as they sit too closely at the bar._ Alex deserves someone who won’t close herself off or drown herself in work. Alex deserves happiness, with someone who deserves her. 

_Alex had been more and more comfortable with Maggie lately, and Maggie had been conflicted at the new development. Part of her wished that when she was ready, Alex would be waiting, and the more mature part of her knew that if Alex was accepting their friendship, it’d be better for her in the long run._

_Maggie sighs, typing out another reply._

Yeah, I’m good. Just a long day at work. I’m gonna hit the hay early. Goodnight :)

_Hit the hay? Maggie cringes but hits send anyways, then turns off her phone. She mounts her bike again, wanting the privacy of her own apartment and the bottle of bourbon sitting on her counter, and drives off into the city’s crowded streets._

——

Alex’s head spins as the van pulls into the DEO parking lot. She feels like she might vomit, like her clothes are too tight, like she needs a freezing cold shower and then a week in her bed. Just as the van comes to a stop, Alex throws the back doors open and jumps out, racing to get into the closest bathroom possible. She avoids all of the stares from her confused co-workers as she all-but sprints into a bathroom. She knows that J’onn and the rest of the team will be wanting to speak to her about the Valeronian in custody, and she’ll need to be debriefed, but she can’t focus on anything besides the room that’s spinning around her. She throws open a stall door and locks herself inside, planting herself on the toilet, head in her hands.

She can feel her pulse racing in her neck, her breathing erratic and her stomach in knots. She holds back a choking sob that threatens to release from her throat.

Alex can’t help but replay the year leading up to Maggie’s departure from National City. The moments at the bar, the nights spent laughing and drinking, arguing about shared cases while Alex always beat Maggie at rounds of pool. She feels all of the touches, the brushes of fingers, the steadying hand on her shoulder or the small of her back, the almost-kisses shared before they both departed from the bar and back to their empty apartments.

She thinks about the night before Maggie left, and her chest heaves.

Alex’s phone rings, breaking her out of her reel of memories. She hits “accept,” pulling the phone to her ear.

“Hey Jules,” Alex says quietly, trying hard to mask that she’s nearly crying.

“Hey, I can’t talk for too long, but I just wanted to let you know that my court time got pushed back a couple hours so I won’t be home until after nine. I have to finish up a few things at the office after I leave the courthouse, then I’m all yours tonight.”

A small smile creeps onto Alex’s face, her head still leaning into her hand. She pushes her phone into her chest, covering the mic while she exhales, trying to pull herself together. _Julia doesn’t deserve this,_ Alex thinks. _Julia doesn’t need your past coming back to haunt both of you._

“Babe, are you there?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m here.” Alex does her best to reassure her girlfriend while her insides squirm.

“Are you feeling okay, Al? You sound a little… off.” Julia’s concern is pressing through the phone, and Alex feels the guilt inside her belly rise into her throat.

“No, I’m great. I just got back from a scene. I’m just a little excited, you know? All that adrenaline.” Alex tries her best to sell it, to push the craning sadness out of her voice. “I’m excited to see you later. You’re gonna nail your opening statement today.”

“Thanks, Al. I’m excited to see you, too. But I’ve gotta go, they just opened the courthouse doors. I love you.”

“Love you, too,” Alex whispers. She hits “end” on her phone and shoves it into her pocket. She cradles her head in her hands, steadying her breathing, slowly putting the shattered pieces of herself back together. She unlocks the stall door and rinses her hands, splashing water on her face and stares at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.

_So what?_ Alex thinks. _Maggie’s not dead, she’s alive. She’s alive and there’s probably some reasonable explanation as to how and why._ Alex swells with anger and pain, wanting to understand how the woman she spent so long pining over has somehow returned from the dead, and she didn’t find out until Maggie was standing right in front of her.

_It doesn’t matter, it’s been three years, you’ve moved on. You’re the happiest you’ve ever been, with a woman who loves you, who you adore. Get yourself together, Danvers._

Alex readies herself, adjusts her jacket, then exits the bathroom. She pushes every urge to run from the DEO and go and find Maggie from her system. She strides into the operations room, where J’onn is waiting for her.

“You alright there, Danvers?”

Alex nods, unwilling to show any kind of disagreement in her facial expression.

“Do you need me to question the Valeronian?” Alex asks. “I’m assuming we still don’t know where he got his hands on that firearm he had, or if he has any others with him in the city.”

“We’ve already got Vasquez in the interrogation room with him. But you will need to be debriefed.”

Alex nods again, and turns on her heel, exiting the room and proceeding down the hallway to a separate conference room. Once there, she pulls out her phone. She opens her contacts and scrolls through the list, landing on a familiar name. She clicks “Maggie Sawyer,” and sees the number she never could delete. Her thumb hovers above the screen as her stomach twists into knots once again.

Alex locks her phone, returning it to her pocket. As she waits for the debriefing agent to join her in the conference room, she can’t stop herself from thinking of the night before Maggie left the NCPD for Gotham. It had been the last night Alex had spoken to her before she was declared dead three months later, the last night she had laid eyes on Maggie’s smiling face, up until today.

— —

_Maggie finds it hard spending an entire Thursday at home. She’s nursing a crippling hangover from the night before, causing her to remain in bed well after the sun’s risen. She had wasted no time polishing off the almost-full bottle of bourbon after arriving home. She took turns refilling her glass and typing then promptly deleting messages to Alex. She was never drunk enough to ever hit send, but not sober enough to desist in pouring herself another drink._

_She decides she’ll need at least two extra-strength Advil and a large dark roast from the coffee shop on the corner to remain conscious for the remainder of the day, so she flips the covers away, gets dressed, and heads out the door._

_After buying her coffee, she decides to take a walk around her neighbourhood to think about the choice she has to make by tomorrow morning. She wanders through the streets, knowing the neighbourhood well from the runs she takes most mornings. Her mind drifts to Alex multiple times, and she tries to quiet these thoughts, attempting to focus on the idea of living in Gotham for the duration of an investigation. She’d never been to the crime-capital of the country before, but she knows that it’s a declining city, desperate for anyone willing to make a difference. She thinks of her life in National City, and realizes that while she enjoys her work and her few friendships, she has no real reason to stay. As this dawns on her, she whips her phone from her jacket pocket and calls Alex._

_The phone rings twice and then Alex picks up._

_“Hey, Maggie?”_

_“Hey. Are you free to talk?” Maggie realizes Alex is probably in the middle of something at the DEO._

_“I’m just about to grab something to eat, I’m good.”_

_“Okay. How’s it going?”_

_“Good, good. Not a whole lot going on here today.”_

_“Yeah, it’s been quiet at the precinct, too.”_

_“Are you feeling better after getting some rest?”_

_Maggie pauses and sighs._

_“I’m doing… um, I’m fine. Hey, I was hoping you’re still free to meet me tonight?”_

_“Yeah, I’m free. Do you wanna meet at the bar around eight?”_

_“Actually,” Maggie hesitates, wondering if she should just hang up now and preserve them both the awkward conversation that Maggie needs to have before she accepts the job offer. “Can we have a drink at your place tonight? I’m not really feeling the bar scene today.”_

_“Uh, sure. I’ll see you at my place at eight.”_

_“Great. See you then.” Maggie pulls the phone away from her face as Alex says a quick “bye.”_

_Maggie shoves her phone into her pocket and starts back home. She knows that she needs to get some type of clarity when it comes to their relationship before she decides to leave National City. She knows that pursuing a high-importance case in a city like Gotham will only come around once in her career, and at this point she cannot put off an opportunity like that for a friendship with Alex, even if she’s buried feelings for the DEO agent for months now. She needs to know if there is a possibility of more, or if Alex has moved on._

_Once she’s reached her apartment, she shreds her clothing and turns on the shower. She has a number of hours until she’s expected at Alex’s apartment, and she uses most of it to start packing her bags. Maggie wonders if she’s preparing herself for the worst, or if maybe she’s making the decision to leave before she even talks to Alex._

_After emptying almost half of her apartment, she looks at her watch and it reads 7 P.M. Her stomach has been bothering her almost all day, and she feels nauseous at the idea of dinner before leaving her place. She changes her clothing, sweaty after packing for most of the afternoon, and brushes a comb through her hair. She heads out, climbing onto her bike and stops along the way to grab a bottle of wine. Once she reaches Alex’s apartment, she spends ten minutes straddling her bike in the parking lot, fighting with herself to either stay or leave._

Alex needs to know you’re leaving, _Maggie thinks_. At the very least, you need to tell her where you’re going and that you haven’t fallen off the face of the Earth.

_Maggie pulls off her helmet, grabs the wine from the storage compartment on her bike, and heads into the building. She steels herself, and knocks on Alex’s door. A moment later the door opens, and Alex is smiling at her._

_“Hey, glad you’re here.”_

_“Me too.”_

_Alex holds the door open for Maggie to enter, and Maggie places her helmet on the floor next to the door and holds out the bottle of wine for Alex to take._

_“Brought some wine, that okay?”_

_“Yeah, for sure! I’ll just grab a couple glasses.”_

_Alex pulls two glasses from a cabinet, uncorks the bottle and pours a generous amount of wine into both glasses before joining Maggie in the living room. Maggie stands awkwardly as Alex moves around the kitchen, not realizing she’s been staring since she entered the apartment._

_“Here,” Alex says as she offers Maggie her glass._

_“Thank you.”_

_They both sit on Alex’s sofa, taking a moment to sip their wine. Maggie takes an extra gulp, needing any kind of courage to make her way through the minefield that’s awaiting her. She looks at Alex, who’s somehow even more beautiful than usual. Her hair is slightly waved, falling gently around her face. Alex had let it grow out a bit in the past few months, her regular sharp bob now meeting the top of her shoulders. She looks intently at Maggie, taking another sip from her glass._

_“So,” Alex begins. “What’s up? I feel like you’re not quite… yourself.”_

_Maggie smiles slightly, the corners of her lips turning up. She takes another gulp of wine and then sets her glass down on the side table beside her. She tries to hold Alex’s gaze, but her stomach flips and she finds it easier to stare into her lap._

_“You know me too well, Danvers.”_

_Alex laughs quietly, also putting her glass down. She returns her attention to Maggie, clearly trying to remain neutral about her friend’s odd behaviour._

_“Do you want to let me in on what’s been bothering you?”_

_The pit in Maggie’s stomach grows exponentially at Alex’s inquiry, and she forces herself to smile, waving away the question with a brisk laugh and turning away._

_“Why don’t we just take it easy tonight? We can watch a movie or something.”_

_Alex hesitates. Maggie quietly begs for Alex not to push her to confess what’s been plaguing her mind for the past day, and her wish is granted. Alex flips on the TV, selecting a random action movie from her Netflix watchlist, and returns to her glass of wine._

_Throughout the movie, Maggie considers whether or not she should leave or stay and face Alex. She spends the majority of time planning her escape, and then looks at Alex and sees her easy, relaxed body next to her and remembers why she’s there in the first place. The pair finish the bottle of wine, and as the movie comes to a close, Maggie’s made her decision._

_“I’m glad we decided to stay in tonight,” Alex says, grabbing both of their empty glasses and returning them to the kitchen. She places both glasses in the sink and watches Maggie from behind the kitchen island._

_“Yeah,” Maggie begins, joining Alex in the kitchen. “It wasn’t a terrible choice of movie.”_

_“Hey!” Alex swats at her friend, scoffing._

_Maggie smiles at Alex, and braces herself against the counter._

_“I —”_

_“I’m so glad we’re able to be friends,” Alex interrupts, beaming at Maggie._

_Maggie falters, realizing that Alex has already answered many of her questions with one simple statement. The pit in her stomach consumes her whole, and she turns away from Alex, pushing her hand through her hair and holding back a deep sigh._

_“What were you going to say?” Alex asks her, her hand coming up to turn Maggie back towards her. She looks puzzled at Maggie’s reaction, and waits for Maggie to respond._

_“I…” Maggie can’t look at Alex. “I’m moving.”_

_Alex’s face falls. Her puzzled look morphs into one of shock, and she crosses her arms._

_“You’re moving.” It’s not a question._

_“Yeah, I’ve been assigned to a case in Gotham. Daniels told me yesterday. I’m leaving tomorrow night.”_

_Alex turns away from Maggie this time, facing away from the detective as she continues._

_“Apparently the Commissioner wanted someone who has experience with special cases. It’s a big opportunity for me. And it’s not like I have much keeping me here in National City.”_

_Maggie knows that last one stings, and Alex noticeably flinches at those words. Maggie can’t stop herself from lashing out, from making sure Alex knows that her decision has been made and it’s hurting her._

_And then Alex turns to face Maggie, and Maggie can see tears in her eyes._

_“Is that why you didn’t want to meet me last night? You knew you were leaving?”_

_Maggie doesn’t answer. She looks away from Alex’s face, can’t stand the sight of the pain so clearly displayed there._

_“I decided today, actually. I just needed time to myself to figure out…” Maggie trails off, staring at her feet like they’re the most interesting thing in the room._

_“Figure out what?” Alex exclaims, reaching for any kind of opening into Maggie’s thought process. She moves closer to Maggie again, within arms reach._

_“It doesn’t matter,” Maggie mutters. “I should just go, I’m sorry I came here.”_

_Maggie moves around Alex and to the door, grabbing her helmet from the floor and pauses to look at Alex. She’s facing away, not wanting to watch Maggie leave._

_“Alex.”_

_Alex turns. A tear escapes and runs down her cheek. Maggie’s heart breaks in that moment, and she can’t bear to leave without doing what she came here to do, despite Alex saying that they’re best as friends._

_She crosses the short distance, dropping her helmet on the counter. Maggie moves into Alex, pushing one hand into Alex’s hair and the other holds Alex’s hip. She pulls Alex into her, their lips connecting. Alex’s eyes shut, and Maggie feels her mouth open. Maggie moves against her, pushing them closer together. Maggie’s mind races, and she thinks about how badly she wanted this to happen. Then, she remembers that Alex still considers them friends, that she’s_ happy _that they’re able to be friends, despite their history. Maggie breaks the kiss, and pulls away._

_“I’m sorry,” Maggie whispers. “I have to go.”_

_Alex remains silent, and Maggie can’t bear to look at her. She grabs her helmet and leaves Alex alone in her apartment, running down the building’s stairs and out into the night._


	3. Chapter 3

_Maggie fidgets in her seat, pulling at the sleeves of her suit, flipping her hair away from her face more times than she can count. The GCPD’s main building is a far cry from National City’s. Every room feels darker, older, and drained of any life that may have existed there in a previous life. She waits for the Commissioner outside his office. His executive assistant had told her a half hour ago that he was returning from the courthouse, and was expected back any minute. Maggie had read in The Gotham Times that the Commissioner had been called upon to be a character witness in the district attorney’s case against a former cop. Maggie had cringed at the thought of ever having to testify against another officer._

_A minute later, an older man wearing thin-rimmed glasses and a thick moustache strides into the office, nodding at his assistant and stopping a few paces away from Maggie._

_“You must be Detective Sawyer,” the Commissioner says, looking down past his glasses at Maggie, a glint of surprise in his eyes._

_Maggie stands, raising her hand to shake the Commissioner’s hand._

_“Yes, sir. It’s so nice to meet you.”_

_The Commissioner shakes her hand, and gestures for her to follow him into his office. He closes the door behind them and rests his suitcase against his desk. Maggie sits in a chair, butterflies erupting in her stomach. She's heard great things about the Commissioner in Gotham, and she hopes she can provide him with what he’s asked for._

_“I’ve heard some very positive things about you from Deputy Commissioner Daniels, Detective. I have to say, I didn’t expect you to be so young.”_

_Maggie smiles, hoping this doesn’t deter the Commissioner from entrusting her with his assignment._

_“I’m excited to hear more about the case you need my assistance on, sir.”_

_All Maggie knows is what Daniels was able to tell her: there was a new generation of the Falcone mob wreaking havoc in Gotham, and the GCPD’s Commissioner had a suspicion of some kind of supernatural activity working in conjunction with the mob’s movements. Daniels had also hinted at a potential secondary assignment for Maggie, but had remained silent on the subject._

_“Yes, well, we’re happy you’re here,” the Commissioner begins. “We don’t have anyone on the force who has nearly as much experience as you do with aliens or anything remotely like that. The weirdest thing we’ve seen is a human-like mutant crocodile.”_

_Maggie laughs, trying to picture what that must look like. She knows it’s been years since Gotham had the protection of Batman to rely on, and since he’d apparently retired the cowl, a few similar-looking caped crusaders had been spotted around the city, taking up his mantle. However, even though many of the city’s renowned criminals had been put away under the influence of Batman, this had been the first real resurgence of dangerous organized crime in the city._

_“Without wasting any of your time with my explanations, I’ll give you the case file to look over. You can go get yourself familiar with the latest developments and come back when you’re ready for my second assignment. Did Daniels mention anything to you about it? I wasn’t able to mention anything to him over the phone, as the assignment is on a need-to-know basis.”_

_“He did mention that I might be assigned another case, but nothing else.”_

_“Okay,” the Commissioner says, standing and walking around his desk, opening the door to his office. “I’ll see you in a few hours. I’ll be here when you’ve finished.”_

_Maggie nods at the Commissioner, curious as ever about what her second assignment could be. She takes the file out into the park across the street from the precinct, seeking out a covered table for some privacy. Maggie spends an hour flipping through the file, trying to memorize every detail of the case the GCPD had put together thus far. The bulk of the caseload revolves around the force’s attempts to understand the odd details of every crime scene the mob has left behind. There was evidence of never-before-seen elements, unheard of weapons and firearms, as well as the undeniable ability of the mob to evade every single attempt that the force has made to arrest any of its members. It seemed like the mob remained a step ahead of the GCPD at every turn. Maggie thought that none of this evidence provided her with something she hadn’t already seen working a year in National City, which held the country’s most concentrated population of alien life. However, the mob had certainly provided the GCPD with quite the problem, pulling off not only bank heists and armed robberies, but a handful of homicides, all the while confusing the police force with probable alien elements._

_Maggie understood the case in front of her and the reason she was needed in Gotham to assist the force. If the GCPD were to have any semblance of a chance against a mob like this, they would need to first understand how to get ahead of them, and that came with determining whether or not alien life was at play. Maggie could handle a bit of alien life, that was for sure._

_Crossing the street and entering the precinct, Maggie allowed herself a moment to let her mind drift away from her task at hand. She thought of how she left things back in National City, of how she left the one person in the world who knew Maggie better than anyone else. Who she kissed and abandoned, despite her overwhelming feelings for the DEO agent. She remembers the way Alex had returned her kiss, the way she felt in Maggie’s arms. Maggie frowns, pushing the memory out of her head, focusing again on the case she’s been assigned._

_Maggie reaches the third floor of the building and enters the Commissioner’s office area. She knocks on the office’s door after the Commissioner’s assistant gives her the go ahead. She hears a distinct “come in” from inside, and she enters._

_“Sawyer, are you finished with that already?”_

_“Just finished, sir.” Maggie crosses the room, returning the file to the desk, and sits._

_“What do you make of it?”_

_“To be honest, sir, this doesn’t look like anything that I don’t see at least twice a month in National City. I don’t doubt I’ll be able to help figure out if this mob has some alien help on their side.”_

_“That’s great to hear, Sawyer.” The Commissioner pauses, stroking his moustache and pulling his glasses from his face, wiping them clean on his shirt. “Do you feel confident enough in your ability to lend a hand to this case to perhaps take on another, equally important investigation?”_

_“Yes, I feel quite confident.”_

_“Good, I was hoping you would.” The Commissioner smiles at Maggie, and puts his glasses back on. He pulls another, larger file from his desk, and passes it to Maggie. “Detective Sawyer, from this point on, you will be known as Sergeant Veronica Ross, a rookie at the GCPD. You just graduated top of your class from the National City Police Academy, and you moved here to get a real taste of what Gotham has to offer a young cop such as yourself. You will still contribute to the previous investigation, but your true mission here is to uncover the infestation of corruption that has leaked back into the GCPD. You will spend time with your peers and superior officers inside and outside the precinct, gaining their trust and developing bonds with them. I suspect, at the point you start to become an integral part of this precinct, you will receive an offer to join your fellow officers as they break the oaths they took as policemen, but this will take time. Months, years, I can’t say. But I want you to be the one to do this. Alone.”_

_The Commissioner pauses again, taking a much-needed breath. Clearly, this was a hard decision for him to make, to bring someone in to deliberately deceive and undermine his police force. Maggie sits, trying hard to keep a neutral expression on her face, trying to ignore the growing list of questions and worries that wrack her brain._

_“Of course, you will report to me and me alone. You cannot at any point assume your previous identity until your investigation comes to a close. You must remain in Gotham, and never at any point can you attempt to make contact with anyone who knows you as Detective Margaret Sawyer. Is that clear?”_

_Maggie nods. Her chest clenches, and she feels her head start to spin._ This is it, _she thinks._ This is why I was brought to Gotham.

_“To be sure of your successful infiltration of the force, in a few months time I will send notice to the NCPD that Maggie Sawyer has died in the field. This will eliminate the possibility of anyone here suspecting you as anyone but Sergeant Veronica Ross, and protect you from anyone trying to find you from your previous life.”_

_Maggie nods again, and she can feel her heart pounding in hear head._ Alex will think I’m dead, _Maggie realizes._ Alex, my only friend in National City, the person I… _Maggie stops her mind from continuing that thought, focusing on the Commissioner._

_“Detective Sawyer,” the Commissioner says, a stern quality to his voice seeping through. “This is the last time I will address you by that name. I have complete confidence in your ability to bring an ever-important sense of duty to the GCPD. I am here for you whenever you need me, but I hope you will find success all on your own.”_

_The Commissioner stands, and this time he raises his hand to take Maggie’s own. She follows suit, shaking the Commissioner’s hand, wondering if she made the right decision to come to Gotham. She smiles softly at the Commissioner, knowing full well that this is her job now. She has a duty to this city._

_“Thank you, Commissioner.”_

_“I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning, Sergeant Ross.”_

_With that, Maggie exits the office, flying down the stairs and out into Gotham’s streets. She hails a cab and tells the driver the address of her new apartment, the one the GCPD had set up for her upon the acceptance of her transfer. She closes her eyes as the driver speeds through Gotham’s streets. She pushes the urge to cry down into her throat, knowing it won’t help. She made this decision, she left National City. She’s going to make a difference in Gotham, even though no one will ever know her name._

— —

After Maggie returns home from her first day back with the NCPD, her entire being calls for her bed. She’s been stressed since arriving back in National City two days prior, knowing that eventually her path would cross with Alex’s, whether it be through work or at a bar. She strips her jacket off and kicks away her boots, slumping on the sofa, not allowing herself to waste away in bed.

Maggie had hoped that her accomplishments in Gotham would allow her to enjoy coming back to the force in National City. She’d thought that once everyone knew that she was the one to bust the ever-growing corruption within the GCPD, as well as put a stop to a year-long heist planned by the Falcone mob that failed to come to fruition due to Maggie’s team’s intervention, she’d be hailed a hero back at home, too. However, much to Maggie’s dismay, any kind of heroics that she displayed in Gotham would remain there under a different name. She’d played an integral role, but found herself returning to National City to her former life, and is now paying her price for not only leaving National City in the first place, but abandoning Gotham, the city she’d just helped save.

Leaning down to reach an unopened bottle of scotch inside the cabinet of her side table, Maggie sighs, trying to let go of things that are now out of her control. The one thing she could still influence, though, she wasn’t sure she had the energy for right now. She twists the cap off the bottle and takes a short swig. The scotch burns down her throat and she resists the urge to follow it with another.

Maggie wonders if what she found out a year ago, when she made a brief escape from Gotham, still stands in the way today. She knows the only way to find out is to talk to Alex. She pulls her phone from her pocket, ignoring the twists in her stomach and the nagging part of her brain to leave things alone, and dials Alex’s number.

The phone rings once, twice, and then goes to voicemail.

Maggie isn’t surprised Alex ignores her call. She presses “end” on her phone’s screen and tosses it beside her on the sofa. She takes another swig from the bottle of scotch and tries to dispel her stream of thoughts about Alex.

 _Leave it be,_ Maggie thinks. _If she’s still with that woman, she deserves to be happy_.

Maggie can’t help the memory from invading her mind, and she shuts her eyes, willing herself to sleep.

— —

_Over a year since Maggie shed her identity to pursue a corrupt Gotham police force, and only a few days since her unit finally built a rock-solid case against the Gotham mob led by the Falcone family, Maggie sits at her desk, tapping her pen against the stack of case files piled there. She’d offered to finish up some of her unit’s paperwork heading into what would be a relaxing weekend for the undercover detective. After breaking open the case against the Falcones, the Commissioner had granted her some much-needed time away. Maggie had confirmed her long-running suspicion that the “alien” activity the GCPD kept coming across had been planted by the Falcones as a scare tactic, a way to diverge the police from the mob’s path._

_It had also helped that Superman had swooped in to lend a hand when the trail had led Maggie’s unit to Cyrus Gold — known to the officers at the GCPD as Solomon Grundy. The Kryptonian not only prevented her and her fellow officers from a certain death, but also confirmed that several weapons had been reported stolen from the Metropolis precinct by Falcone’s pack of henchmen. After that, Maggie’s investigation into the Falcones had taken a turn for the better, even though her priority investigation into the GCPD’s corruption had come to a standstill._

_Maggie hadn’t made as much progress in her attempts to undercover any kind of hard evidence against the officers at the GCPD, although she was beginning to line up her main targets. She suspected several of the sergeants in the drug unit of stashing and selling confiscated substances, but had no proof of their guilt, besides the uneasy feeling she got whenever she spent any time with the unit’s officers. Maggie also had her eye on the Deputy Commissioner, although she hoped that any suspicions she had of the DC was just her distaste of the man, and not a sign of criminal activity. Maggie knew the Commissioner would be hard-pressed to convict his successor._

_As Maggie cuts down the pile of papers on her desk by half, she leans forward in her chair and rubs her eyes, wishing the weekend would finally come. She stands from her chair and makes her way down the connecting hallway, pulling a couple bills from her back pocket to put into the vending machine. As she waits for her soda to drop from the dispenser, she hears a throat clear from behind her._

_“Sergeant Ross,” a man’s voice, stern and demanding, begins. “Do you have a moment?”_

_Maggie grabs the can from the opening in the machine and turns to greet the Commissioner._

_“Yeah, I was just taking a quick break.”_

_“No problem, Sergeant.” The Commissioner turns and gestures for Maggie to join him in the vacant office behind him. He steps in and Maggie follows, and the Commissioner closes the door, clears his throat._

_“Sergeant Ross, I wanted to have a word with you about —”_

_“Commissioner,” Maggie interrupts. “We’re alone. Please don't call me... that.”_

_“Sorry, Detective.” The Commissioner pauses, clearly embarrassed by his use of Maggie’s undercover identity. “Sawyer, I wanted to have a word with you about your future here. In Gotham.”_

_He takes a seat in one of the chairs and Maggie follows suit. Maggie’s stomach turns, hoping she could have avoided this conversation entirely._

_“Sawyer, I’ve been quite impressed with you since you’ve agreed to help with the investigations here. Especially of your efficiency in taking down the Falcones, that was surely impressive.”_

_Maggie holds the Commissioner’s steady gaze, hoping that what is coming is in fact an offer to extend her short vacation as opposed to what she suspects: a promotion._

_“Detective, I want you to take your time away this weekend to consider remaining here in Gotham. Not necessarily just until your investigation into the GCPD’s underbelly has come to a close, but permanently. This would, of course, come with a title change. Or, rather, assuming your previous title as detective.”_

_Maggie forces herself to smile at her boss. She tries to silence all of the voices in her head, screaming at her to flee from the room. She can’t help but think of the profound opportunity it would be to serve as a detective in a city like Gotham. She also can't help but think of National City, and everything she has left behind. It’d been over a year since she stepped foot in National City, but she never ruled out the idea of returning one day._

_“Like I said, I want you to take the weekend to think about it. But, I want you to know, the GCPD… well, I, would be extremely happy to have you here, Sawyer.”_

_“Can I ask a question, Commissioner?”_

_“Of course.”_

_“If I decide to stay in Gotham, would I ever be able to be Maggie Sawyer again? To anyone other than you?”_

_The Commissioner looks at Maggie carefully, not wanting to promise anything he wouldn’t be able to follow through on later._

_“After you wrap your case as Detective Ross, we can look into returning you to your true identity. It would entail bringing you back from the dead, of course, but I suppose that's nothing that can’t be undone.”_

_Maggie nods. She feels a small weight lifted from her shoulders, knowing she could have a real future in Gotham if she wanted it._

_“Thank you, Commissioner.”_

_They both stand, and the Commissioner takes Maggie’s hand. He smiles at her, and Maggie feels the importance of her decision once again weigh on her mind._

_A few hours later, Maggie leaves the precinct, mounting her bike and driving into the Gotham night. She winds through the streets, letting her mind run away from her, escaping into many different futures that she has to choose from._

_She finds herself at home and drowning in another bottle, this one half-filled with bourbon. Maggie has only one thought on her mind:_ I have to talk to Alex.

_Maggie knows she shouldn’t leave Gotham; that if she was discovered by anyone she knows, her entire future as a police officer would be in jeopardy. She’s not sure if she cares, if it means she has to make this decision without seeing Alex Danvers. Without telling Alex that she would leave everything if it meant a future with the DEO agent. Without asking Alex if she’s ever thought about Maggie since she left National City, before she was declared dead._

_Maggie shakes her head._ You’re still dead, idiot. You can’t storm into Alex’s apartment and ask her to fall into your arms and run away with you. You’re _dead._

 _Another swig of bourbon burns down Maggie’s throat._ But what if? What if Alex was willing? What if Alex has been thinking of you for a year like you have her? What if you didn’t _stay_ dead? What then?

_Maggie makes a decision, and she may regret it later. She pulls out her phone and taps away, purchasing a plane ticket to National City that leaves the following morning. Maggie knows that she has to try again with Alex, to see if Alex could forgive her for leaving. For not just abandoning National City, but for vanishing all together._

_The next morning, Maggie boards a plane at Gotham International Airport for National City. She shows the flight attendant her boarding pass that reads “Veronica Marie Ross” and she cringes slightly. She has never warmed to the assigned name, and every mention of it always sets a fire off in her heart._

_Hours later, as she leaves the National City airport, Maggie pulls the hood of her jacket over her head, trying to remain as indistinguishable as possible. Not yet ready to throw all caution to the wind, she makes a point to avoid all eye contact with as many people as possible. She has no idea who could turn a corner and spot her, alive as ever, in the one place she really shouldn’t be._

_Maggie hails a cab and gives the driver the address of the hotel nearest to Alex’s apartment. She wants to waste as little time wandering the streets as possible, knowing she can only make one house call during her time in National City. Upon arrival, Maggie asks for a room and promptly shrugs her bag onto the double bed. She strips her clothing from her body and steps into the shower, feels the scorching water soothe her nerves._

_Once Maggie dresses, pulls a comb through her hair and brushes her teeth, the dingy airport smell long gone, she leaves her room. Maggie once again pulls her hood up as she exits the hotel lobby. She makes the short trip to Alex’s building as quick as possible, cutting corners and running the bike path through a neighbouring park. Maggie hears a distinct laugh as she crosses the street, and she halts in her path, nearly getting run over by a passing car._

_Maggie jogs to the nearest building, tucking away behind it, but peering out into the street. She hears the laugh again and then sees the cause of the beautiful sound, and feels her stomach drop._

_Alex stands in front of her building, holding hands with a tall, gorgeous redhead. Alex’s head is thrown back in laughter, the redhead beaming at the DEO agent. Alex smiles at the woman, and then leans in for a soft kiss. The redhead’s hand runs through Alex’s hair, pushing it away from her face but pulls Alex closer. Alex looks surprised, but leans in closer, allowing her body to collide with the woman’s._

_Maggie can’t help but stare. She can hardly believe her eyes. She never thought Alex would have moved on so soon, but then again…_

Of course she’s moved on, _Maggie thinks._ You’re dead, remember? She wasn’t going to be alone and sad forever, if she ever was sad. She’s brilliant, beautiful, and you were never going to be the only person who noticed.

_Maggie pulls her gaze away from Alex and the woman, who are still locked in a tender embrace. Maggie feels a tear escape her wet eyes, and she quickly wipes it away. Maggie runs, never stopping to look back at the woman who still holds her heart. She runs until she’s back in her hotel room, pressing a pillow into her face, desperately trying to hold back the heaves her body threatens to expel._

_She makes her decision the following day to remain in Gotham, in hopes that one day she can be Maggie Sawyer again, that one day she will take her life back._


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanted to get this chapter in before Christmas. Hope everyone has a fantastic holiday season!

After the long debriefing process, Alex is dismissed. She leaves the DEO and before returning home, she makes a pit stop at the liquor store, shelling out more than a few dollars on two bottles of scotch. Alex reaches her building and climbs the stairs to her apartment, lugging her helmet along with the heavy bottles. As soon as she’s through the threshold, she dumps her belongings on the counter, shrugs off her jacket and kicks off her boots.

Alex takes a glass from a cupboard, along with one of the bottles of scotch, and eases herself into the sofa. The night sky darkens the apartment, the soft light of a side lamp emitting a shallow glow into the space. Alex flips on the TV, turning to one of the many music channels. She opts for jazz, hoping the melodies will allow her to sink into a state of mental abyss. All Alex wants is to remove all semblance of thought from her brain, not once remembering the intrusion that was set upon her sanity earlier that day.

She glances at the clock on the side table. 7:35PM. Julia wouldn’t be home for at least another two hours. Alex sighs, wishing she could have the distraction of her girlfriend in this moment. Instead she pours herself a glass of scotch, swirling it in her glass before she downs it one gulp. She shouldn’t be driven to drink over the sight of someone she had barely thought about in two years. She should be able to act like she’s moved on, like she’s happy to see her friend alive and in her life once again.

But she can’t. Alex would be lying if she thought she could treat Maggie as a friend and only a friend. She’d never been able to do it when she was alive and living in National City. She’d made peace with her death months after the news had broke, and she had mended her heart with the help of Julia. But she’d always felt the occasional pang of grief at any mention of Maggie’s name, or when any memory of the detective flooded her senses. Alex always pushed down the feeling of guilt when she thought of Maggie since she started seeing Julia. She caught herself remembering Maggie’s closeness and their easiness around each other and scolded herself, knowing any feelings she harboured for Maggie, even after her death, were a kind of unfaithfulness to Julia. She’d slowly been able to think of Maggie less and less, and was almost rid of the stinging memories altogether.

And then Maggie came waltzing back into National City like she owned the place. Like she belonged there. Like she wasn’t supposed to be dead.

Alex cringes at the thought, downing another finger of scotch. She knew she’d have to face her situation. She’d have to see Maggie again. She’d have to talk to Julia about her ex who apparently returned from the dead. All of it made Alex want to throw up. Or maybe it was the scotch, she couldn’t tell. She slumps her head onto the pillow, the glass falling from her hand and onto the floor. Alex drifts off, the image of Maggie’s smile as she saw Alex for the first time in what Alex thought was three years, staining the inside of Alex’s eyelids.

Hours later, the door to the apartment closes softly, Julia careful not to wake Alex who’d fallen asleep on the sofa. Julia creeps to the living room, picking up the glass from the floor and sits carefully beside Alex’s resting figure. Julia brushes the intruding strands of hair from Alex’s face and leans down to press a soft kiss to Alex’s forehead.

“Mm,” Alex mumbles. “You’re home.”

Julia smiles, then scrunches her nose at Alex’s breath.

“How much did you have to drink, babe?”

Alex doesn’t answer, just continues to doze lightly, peeking from her slumber at her girlfriend’s worried gaze. Julia moves to pull Alex towards her, letting Alex lean against her shoulder. Julia removes her heels and her coat, then pulls Alex to her feet. They move to the bedroom, and Alex sits on the bed as Julia removes Alex’s top and pants. Alex slides into bed, pulling the covers up above her neck, the warmth of the alcohol wearing away.

Julia leaves to the bathroom and returns with a glass of water and two Advil.

“Take these before you fall asleep again, Al.”

Alex protests, not wanting to leave the comfort of the duvet. Julia waits, holding the two pills out for Alex to take. Alex whines but takes the Advil, popping both in her mouth and then reaching for the water, taking a gulp. She quickly covers her whole body underneath the duvet, pushing her face deep into her pillow.

Julia flicks off the lights after removing her clothes, then joins Alex in bed. She quickly falls asleep, tired after a long day at the courthouse.

Alex struggles to put her mind to rest. She’d hoped the half-bottle of scotch would knock her out once again, but she remains stuck with images of her regular offender clouding her mind. _Maggie was at a crime scene today. Maggie’s in National City. Maggie’s alive. Maggie, Maggie, Maggie._

Alex feels her eyes well up, and she pushes deeper into her pillow, attempting to halt any tears that threaten to escape. She exhales slowly, attempting to steady her breathing, and eventually lulls herself into a deep sleep.

— —

_The morning sun’s rays filter through sheer curtains in Maggie’s downtown Gotham apartment. The one bedroom stands in stark contrast to the place she left in National City, the multitude of windows and the sitting balcony a forgotten privilege to the young GCPD detective. Maggie moved into the apartment nearly a year ago after receiving her promotion, returning her to detective status. She’d put off finding a place of her own for two years, opting to stay in the place the department had found for her on her initial arrival. Maggie wasn’t sure if it was due to not wanting to bother looking for a suitable apartment in Gotham, or her hopes that one day she would return home, to National City._

_Maggie stirs, squinting at the light flickering in through her bedroom window._ Today’s the day, _Maggie thinks._ Finally, the day we get to rid the GCPD of every low-life and corrupt cop crawling around that place. _Maggie pushes out of bed, pulling the covers away and promptly pulling her sweatshirt over her head. She pushes the “start” button on the coffee maker, leaning against the counter, peeling a banana to curb her growling stomach. As she waits for the coffee to fill the pot, Maggie reflects on her long-winded case in Gotham._

_Her case against any possible offenders within the precinct hit its stride as soon as the mob boss, Falcone, was behind bars. It had taken over a year for the court proceedings against all of the members of the mob to come to a close, and once they’d all been found guilty of dozens of separate charges, it became evident which officers were lacking in the extracurricular department. A few were thick enough to think their regular late-night visits to the prison would go unnoticed by Detective Ross, and their peers who started going through severe withdrawal were no less obvious. The severity of some officers’ charges would be life-ending, Maggie knew, but none would be worse than the few who attempted to break out Falcone._

_Three months ago, a trio of sergeants, two of whom had served a combination of twenty-two years on the force, instigated a prison brawl that included guards and high-risk inmates. Thankfully, Maggie had been suspect of a planned movement within the prison, and her team showed up just before the line of cells Falcone and most of his mob were contained in were unlocked. Using a haul of concrete physical evidence against the three officers, along with a pair of prison guards who were able to provide solid testimonies against the officers, Maggie had finally built an open-shut case against the GCPD offenders._

_Today, as Maggie sips from her mug, she internally prepares for her testimony. She knows it’ll be several hours on the stand, confirming and explaining much of her own case to the jury. Butterflies erupted in her stomach at the thought of being on the stand, never having to testify herself for such a high-profile case, never mind one that would send ten officers to prison, to share a roof with dozens of inmates who they’d helped put there._

_Maggie speeds through the rest of her morning process, allowing herself an extra few minutes to fix her hair. Clad in a black suit, leather jacket and aviators, the detective hurries out of her building and onto her motorcycle. Maggie zips through the streets and arrives at the courthouse in record time, propping up her bike and locking her helmet to the side._

_“Detective!” a familiar voice calls out to her. Maggie turns and sees the Commissioner striding across the parking lot, a cup of coffee in one hand and a briefcase in the other. He’s happy to see her but clearly tired, this case wringing out any remaining optimism for the GCPD’s future he once had._

_“Good morning, Commissioner.” Maggie smiles at the man, trying to help ease his and her own nerves at the upcoming proceedings._

_“Ross, there was something I wanted to speak to you about before you’re called in.” The Commissioner guides Maggie into the building and then into a room marked “District Attorney Carson.” The room is empty, and Maggie sits across from the Commissioner._

_“What is it, Commissioner?”_

_“Maggie,” the Commissioner begins. Maggie always starts at the mention of her real name from the Commissioner. She’d finally gotten used to her given name, not that she’d liked it any more than when she acquired it years prior. “I wanted to ask you about your plans for after this case wraps up.”_

_“My plans, Commissioner?”_

_“Well, I had assumed you would stay in Gotham since you’ve had great success here so far, but I can’t help but feel you want to be somewhere else.”_

_Maggie’s stomach flips. She wonders if she’d been that obvious at work. She’s always been a hard worker, but her lack of real relationships in Gotham always helped at keeping her at a distance. She came to work, did her job, then went home. The odd night she would find herself at a bar, but she’d never had more than a brief encounter with anyone in Gotham._

_“I reached out to the Deputy Commissioner in National City yesterday. You remember Daniels? I told him that we might have a detective looking to transfer there in the upcoming weeks. I didn’t use your real name, Sawyer, don’t worry.”_

_Maggie reels, not sure if she believes what she’s hearing. This man has always had a knack for reading people, but this is another case entirely. She’s not sure if she should be angry that the Commissioner would assume she has any intent on returning to the city where everyone thinks she’s dead, or if she should hug him for realizing that that’s where she belongs._

_She opts for the latter._

_The Commissioner pats Maggie on the back, and Maggie can feel his body stiff in her embrace, clearly uncomfortable with the hug. Maggie steps away, smiling shyly and adjusting her suit._

_“So, I take it that you’ll be returning to National City once you are no longer needed here?”_

_Maggie exhales, still in a state of shock at the idea of returning home._ Home, _Maggie thinks._ It really does feel like home, even now. There would be so much red tape in the way of returning to National City, but at the end of the day, it’s where I belong.

_“Yes,” Maggie confirms. “I would be lying if I said I didn’t think about working at the NCPD again. But Commissioner —”_

_“Don’t worry, Maggie. Your identity will return to you as soon as you step foot in National City. I will make a call once you’re on your way, and it’ll be taken care of. If that’s what you want.”_

_“It is, sir.”_

_The Commissioner nods, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. He sighs, grabs his briefcase from the floor, and makes his way to the door. Before leaving, he turns and holds Maggie’s gaze._

_“We’ll miss you here, Sawyer. You’ve been instrumental in making this precinct good again, and I’ll always accept you back in this city, if your journey brings you back here one day.”_

_“Thank you, Commissioner. For everything.”_

_He nods one last time and exits. Maggie smiles, curling her fingers into her palms. Her heart thumps in her chest, knowing in a few days time, she’ll be back in National City._ Back to alien bars and the DEO and Supergirl and… Alex. _The hair on Maggie’s arms raise, goosebumps erupting on her skin. She’ll be alive in National City, something she wasn’t sure she’d ever experience again. She knew it wouldn’t be easy, that a lot of people would have a hard time accepting her, but it was worth it if she could be Maggie Sawyer once again._

_Maggie leaves the DA’s office and walks confidently down the halls of the courthouse. A new sense of vigour in her step, she enters the courtroom and to the prosecution’s table. Almost subconsciously, Maggie breezes through her testimony, and after she’s dismissed from the stand, she practically sprints through the courtroom and out to her bike._

_Three days later, after Detective Veronica Ross is approved for a transfer to the NCPD, Maggie packs up her apartment, makes all the necessary calls and preparations, and boards a redeye to National City. Maggie would have a week upon arrival to sort out her living situation and get assessed by the NCPD to be cleared for duty. She thought of everything she needed to do on her short flight from Gotham to National City, but as she ticked off mental boxes in her head, she kept thinking of how she was going to deal with the biggest box on her list. How was she going to deal with Alex?_

_Would she speed to Alex’s apartment as soon as the plane landed? Or was it better to wait a few days until she had everything settled, and maybe think of a better plan than arriving at Alex’s doorstep in the middle of the night? Or maybe…_

Maybe I need to wait until word gets out that Maggie Sawyer is alive and well and living in National City again, _Maggie thinks._ Maybe I should leave her alone, as she’s probably living happily ever after with that redhead from a year ago.

_Maggie shakes her head, trying her best to keep herself positive. She’s returning to National City after three years of living in Gotham, after three years of being dead to the rest of the world, after three years of “Veronica Ross.” Maggie sighs, and leans back into her assigned airport chair._

_An hour later, Maggie stirs awake as she feels the plane begin its descent. She clenches her fists, burrowing them between her legs, nerves on edge. She stares out the window and sees the National City skyline, and swears she sees a shot of red and blue sail across the sky._

— —

A week has past since one of the longest days of Alex’s life. Since Maggie Sawyer strolled back into National City and tore apart everything that Alex knew to be true. A week, and Alex had yet to have one decent night of sleep or one day where she hadn’t turned to a bottle to calm her racing mind. After each day of whatever assignment J’onn had given her, Alex returned home to twist open a bottle cap or pour a finger or two of scotch into a glass. And almost every night Julia had come home to find Alex passed out on the sofa, nursing whichever drink had called to her that evening in her hand, lying against the floor or spilled across Alex’s chest.

Julia had pressed Alex for a reason that she had started drinking every evening to the point of unconsciousness, but Alex shrugged her off, blaming a difficult case she was working on. Julia had left it, not wanting to prompt an argument with a less-than-sober Alex. But Alex could tell that Julia remained suspicious of her new habit, which caused the spiral Alex had found herself in to worsen, not able to handle the extra layer of guilt in addition to her inability to remove the image of Maggie’s face from her brain for more than ten minutes at a time.

“Danvers!”

Alex starts, head snapping to the source of her called name. J’onn stares at her from across the DEO’s control room, several other agents’ eyes on her as well.

“Yes, sorry, what was that?” Alex flushes. It had also been a week of distracted behaviour at work, something Alex could barely tolerate in her co-workers, and it pained her that she always seemed to be lost in thought since Maggie’s arrival.

J’onn crosses the room and stops close to Alex, standing over her, clearly unimpressed.

“Do you need to take a break, Danvers? I don’t need a distracted agent on this case.”

“No, no. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

J’onn raises an eyebrow, not believing a word Alex says, but nods.

“You’ll head up the unit that will monitor the movements inside the bunker, and respond if backup is needed once Supergirl is in position inside. Go meet up with Vasquez to prepare and make sure Kara knows the plan inside and out.”

Alex nods and heads down the hall to the equipment room. Vasquez is clipping ammo to her belt, and a few other agents are finishing their preparations. Kara is studying infrared photos of the bunker where the Valeronians have claimed as a home base. In the past week, through vigorous and tiring interrogation sessions with the captured Valeronian, the DEO had discovered that the offender was only one of many Valeronian rebels that resided in National City. Another Valeronian had been spotted near the docks, and Kara had followed the alien to an underground bunker a few dozen miles east of the docks. Today, the DEO’s plan is to flush the offending species out of their base but keep them under wraps, as the NCPD had done nothing but interfere in any attempts they had made to gather more evidence from the docks where the original Valeronian was captured.

Alex had had no issue with keeping the NCPD out of the equation, not wanting any reason to see Maggie unnecessarily. Of course, J’onn had insisted that Alex lead the investigation at the docks, and Maggie had been there each time to meet the DEO unit and prevent them from gaining access to the area. Alex had remained tight lipped and rolled her eyes, letting Vasquez do all the leg work in removing the NCPD from the scene. Each time, Alex felt Maggie staring at her, a silent plea for any kind of reciprocation on Alex’s end. Alex had ignored every one, a fury burning through her veins whenever the detective was around her.

Maggie had only gotten bolder. The last time Alex had left the docks, Maggie had lingered around the perimeter, waiting for Alex to return to the DEO van. Maggie had tried grabbing Alex’s arm, tried to stop Alex from ignoring her any longer. The attempt failed, and Alex was then met with five calls from the detective that evening. She had hit “ignore” on her phone each time it rang.

Kara smiles at Alex, leaving the infrared photos and turning to her sister.

“Alex, you’re heading up the team with Agent Vasquez?”

“Yeah, I’ll be down there in case you need backup after you’re in.”

“Great!” Kara beams at Alex. Alex laughs at Kara. It always amuses Alex that even faced with multiple Valeronians in a small bunker, Kara always seems so eager to head into a fistfight. She’d become a confident hero in the last couple of years, no longer the unsure girl who made near-fatal mistakes in the face of disaster. Alex heart thumps in her chest at the strength her sister exudes, wishing that she could internalize some of that strength right about now.

The DEO unit piles into the van as Kara shoots up into the sky. Kara has a lead on the unit, but she scans the bunker when she arrives, relaying all the information she gathers to the DEO teams. As the van pulls up near the bunker, Kara returns to the ground and busts the bunker door open in one swift blow.

Only a few seconds later and Alex hears the distinct sound of distant sirens, and she bets her entire life savings that the NCPD is heading her way.

“Kara, the police are on their way. If you can make this as quick as possible, you’d be a lifesaver.”

“Damn it!” J’onn exclaims over the radio. “Will they ever just keep their noses out of DEO business?”

“I think you’re asking for _way_ too much there, J’onn,” Alex snarks. Vasquez chuckles. The team monitors the satellite infrared of the bunker, not gifted with their own x-ray vision like the Kryptonian that currently is kicking the living crap out of the alien offenders. The team watches as Kara speeds around the bunker, laying out one Valeronian after another.

“Okay, Danvers, start preparing for round up.”

“Copy.”

Alex, Vasquez and the team relay out of the van, weapons drawn. They file one by one around the bunker to the entrance. From inside, Kara’s laser vision streams out of the bunker’s one small window. A loud thud rumbles through the bunker, and a few moments later, Kara appears at the bunker’s entrance.

“All clear!” Kara exclaims. Another wide smile appears on Kara’s face, and Alex can’t help but laugh again.

“Vasquez, take the team and cuff all the bodies inside. We’ll wait for the next van to take them back to the DEO.” 

Vasquez and the unit files inside, armed with taser cuffs. Just as the last of the unit enters the bunker, the sirens grow louder, and three NCPD cruisers pull up around the DEO van.

“J’onn, what’s the ETA on the next van?”

“Three minutes out, Danvers. Keep the NCPD out of the way. We don’t want the Valeronians making a run for it.”

“Copy that.”

Kara walks over to the cruisers, full superhero stance in action. Alex hopes that Kara can persuade the NCPD to clear out, that maybe if Supergirl has this one handled, the police can take that as an invitation to move on out.

No such luck.

To Alex’s dismay, Maggie steps out of the nearest cruiser, her partner following suit. Kara turns and looks at Alex, a knowing glance sent her way. Alex grumbles, knowing full well that she should’ve expected this. Alex makes her way over to the cruisers, stopping short of Kara’s billowing cape.

“Alex,” Maggie begins. “Not to interfere, but we wanted to follow up on what our investigation of the docks had lead us. We traced the Valeronians to this area, and then noticed Supergirl heading out this way not that long ago, so we figured she might need a hand. Guess you beat us to it.”

Maggie smirks, and Alex feels her stomach flip. Alex knows that Maggie’s not completely telling the truth. The NCPD would have no means to trace alien life anywhere, and both of them know that. Alex suspects the NCPD has a trace on Supergirl’s movements, and any chance to get a case under the special unit’s belt is a win for Maggie. Alex rolls her eyes and resists turning and walking away, like she would usually do.

“It’s fine, Detective Sawyer. But we’ve already restrained the Valeronians, so your team is not needed here. We’ve got a van arriving here any minute, so if you could please move your cruisers —”

“Alex.” Maggie interrupts Alex, glaring at her. “Uh, I mean, Agent Danvers. The NCPD is required to set up a perimeter at any crime scene and proceed to investigation. We will move our cruisers, but we won’t be leaving.”

Alex feels Maggie’s insistence, and knows it’s not worth arguing over jurisdiction. Alex nods at Kara and Kara returns to the bunker to help the team move the Valeronians up to the bunker’s entrance.

“Okay then,” Alex relents. “Move your cruisers and then we’ll be out of your hair.”

Alex turns on her heel, stepping away quickly towards the bunker.

“Alex, wait!”

Alex halts. _Damn it,_ Alex thinks. _Just keep going. Ignore her._

Maggie runs up behind Alex and moves in front of her, finally getting her chance to look Alex in the eye and talk to her.

“Maggie, now is really not the time —”

“No, I know,” Maggie interrupts. “I just… I just want to talk to you. To tell you what happened in Gotham. I _need_ to tell you.”

Alex’s head spins. She can still hardly believe that Maggie Sawyer is standing in front of her, never mind trying to tell her why she isn’t really dead, trying to explain how she could disappear for three years and then spring back into National City like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Alex remains silent, allowing Maggie to continue.

“I know that this isn't the place, but…” Maggie trails off, looking down to her shoes. Alex knows Maggie is struggling with this, that this can’t be easy for her either. “Can we meet up a little later? When you’re done your shift? You can come to my place or I could come to yours —”

“You won’t be coming to mine.” Alex interjects. The idea of Maggie in her apartment, the apartment where her girlfriend sleeps every night, is unbearable.

“Okay, then maybe we can meet at the bar.” Maggie looks so hopeful that Alex can’t possibly say no. Her eyes are pleading for Alex to accept, to let Maggie have one chance to explain to Alex why she did what she did.

“Fine. The bar. That’s — that’s fine.”

“Great. I’ll see you there at 8?”

“Sure, see you then.”

Maggie smiles at Alex, and Alex tries to ignore the shiver that runs up her spine. She knows that she has to give Maggie a chance to explain herself, but she can’t help but think of Julia now. She knows that she’s only allowing Maggie some closure — and herself, for that matter — but she also knows that Julia won’t take lightly the idea of her girlfriend going out to meet her, well, whatever Maggie was. Alex pushes down the guilt rising in her chest, and vows to call Julia once she returns to the DEO to confess everything that’s been bothering her this past week.

— —

“Hey babe, how’s your day been?”

Alex stomach churns hearing Julia’s voice. No longer does Julia’s voice bring a calm over Alex; instead, she’s met with a pang of guilt.

“Good. We finally wrapped that case we’ve been working on.”

“Is it bad that I still get incredibly curious about what you do day-in, day-out?”

Alex chuckles but feels another pang in her stomach. It doesn’t help that Julia is the only person in Alex’s life who doesn’t know what she does for a living. Even though it comes with the territory for working for a secret government agency, Alex feels like she’s hiding something every day she goes to work. Which she is. And now, that feeling is only amplified.

“I would expect nothing less from you, Jules. You _are_ a lawyer, after all.”

Julia laughs, and Alex knows how important it is to come clean to this person who means so much to her, who makes her laugh and cares so much about her.

“Jules, I actually had something to tell you.”

“Yeah Al, what’s up? I’m just heading out for lunch.”

Alex takes a breath and then dives head first into her tirade of everything that had happened in the past three years. She tells Julia of her feelings for Maggie, who then left for Gotham after being offered a game-changing case, and then was declared dead three months later after the NCPD learned she was killed in the field. Alex spares Julia the intimate details of her mourning process, but she makes sure Julia knows why it’s such a shock to see Maggie alive and in National City. Julia says nothing, just listens to Alex explain.

“The reason I’m telling you this now is because Maggie showed up at a DEO scene today and practically begged me to let her explain what happened in Gotham. She wants to meet me after work tonight, and I said I’d go. But, Jules, I totally understand if you don’t want me to —”

“No, Alex,” Julia interrupts. “She’s obviously important to you, and I think you need to hear her out. Give her a chance to get some closure, you know? You’ll probably be better for it too.” Julia pauses, and Alex can practically hear her thinking through the phone.

“Is this why you’ve been drinking every night? Because Maggie’s back in National City?”

Alex doesn’t know what to say. She hold her phone tight, praying that she doesn’t have to try and explain to Julia what Maggie means to her, what it means for Maggie to be alive.

“Jules —”

“It’s okay, Al. I get it, she was your first.”

Alex feels her heart pang once again, knowing that Julia would be able to see through any type of defence Alex tried to put up. Julia knows her too well.

“Take the time you need. I’ll be at home early tonight.”

“Okay,” Alex whispers. “‘Night, Jules.”

“Bye, Al.”

The line goes dead. Alex isn’t sure if she should be thankful or worried that Julia understands the extent of Alex’s Maggie situation. Alex resists the urge to call Julia back and tell her that she’s not going to see Maggie tonight, that she’ll go straight home and they can put this entire Maggie thing behind them.

But Alex knows Julia would never let her do that. Julia cares about Alex, and that means letting Alex put things from her past to rest. Even if that _thing_ is the woman Alex was never able to get over.


End file.
